Renato Barilli recounts Hermann Nitsch's 1977 Bologna performance

In an interview, art critic Renato Barilli recalls the 1977 performance by Hermann Nitsch in Bologna, which was the centerpiece of the International Performance Week he organized with Francesca Alinovi and Roberto Daolio. The event took place in the deconsecrated baroque church of Santa Lucia, chosen for its vast space. Nitsch's "Orgien und Misterien Theater" involved a simulated crucifixion with 50 liters of bovine blood, accompanied by a village band and whistles. Barilli emphasizes the cathartic, abreactive nature of the performance, likening it to crime novels and westerns. The event was initially deemed potentially offensive to the Catholic Church, leading organizers to transform it into a private club with 1,000 attendees. In contrast, a simultaneous performance by Marina Abramović and Ulay at the Galleria d'Arte Moderna was interrupted by police, who objected to nudity in a museum. Barilli also recounts meeting theater critic Franco Quadri at Nitsch's performance and later interactions with Nitsch and his supporter, the Neapolitan Morra.